KC Royals: What A Difference A Decade Makes

Second Base

The Royals have had trouble finding consistency at the second base position for years. Recently players like Chris Getz, Elliot Johnson, and Omar Infante have underwhelmed at that position.

2005: Ruben Gotay

Ruben Gotay didn’t play very long in the Major Leagues. He only lasted four years, and his 2005 season with the Royals may have been his worst.

Gotay had a bWAR of -.6 in 2005 and his slash line left little to be desired. Gotay slashed .227/.288/.334 that season and his WAR was the worst of his career.

Defensively he didn’t bring much to the table either. While his numbers were close to the league average, he was still below-average where fielding percentage is concerned.

Gotay is another Royals’ player who would later find himself on the Mets. He batted just under .300 in his one season with the Mets, but that wouldn’t be enough to help him find an every day home in the majors.

2015: Ben Zobrist

When the Royals traded for Ben Zobrist it seemed as if Dayton Moore had pushed all of his chips into the pile. That move paid off in the biggest way possible as the Royals brought home the trophy.

He was an instant fan favorite, and he’ll go down in KC lore as one of the key players in the 2015 season.

Ben Zobrist didn’t play long for the Royals. He played only 59 games during the regular season but still put up a 1.2 bWAR in that time hitting seven home runs and slashing .284/.364/.463.

He handed Aroldis Chapman his first blown save at home since the 2013 season in one of the more memorable moments of his brief, yet productive, Royals’ career.

Zobrist also hit eight doubles and two home runs during the 2015 post season. While Zobrist’s stint in KC may be the shortest of his career, he is ‘Forever Royal’. He was an instant fan favorite, and he’ll go down in KC lore as one of the key players in the 2015 season.

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